Setting myself a challenge........
Discussion
Gizmoish said:
Insane. Presumably you walked up the hills and freewheeled down? Why didn't you just get a train home?
Tram tracks are lethal. They must have had them 40 years ago?
You'd have got up a lot more hills - and more than a mile - if you'd just done two or three practice rides first.
You're lucky you weren't killed on that road in the dark.
I'm sorry, I'm in awe of the effort and the sheer bloody-mindedness, but you're quite mad.
Good photos mind.
A couple of points:-Tram tracks are lethal. They must have had them 40 years ago?
You'd have got up a lot more hills - and more than a mile - if you'd just done two or three practice rides first.
You're lucky you weren't killed on that road in the dark.
I'm sorry, I'm in awe of the effort and the sheer bloody-mindedness, but you're quite mad.
Good photos mind.
The thought of getting the train home never entered my mind, even at my lowest point, I would have considered myself a quitter, and would have regretted it for the rest of my life. Mrs WR phoned me several times insisting she came and picked me up, and I told her forcibly if she did I would not get in the car, so she was wasting her time. Also the nearest train stations were probably over 20 miles away at many points.
Also, if I had done even a one mile practice ride, it would have been obvious I wasn't fifteen any more and I would not even have attempted it, so in that respect I was glad I didn't.
Appreciate the comments by the way....
Gizmoish said:
I'm sorry, I'm in awe of the effort and the sheer bloody-mindedness, but you're quite mad.
Good photos mind.
I have to agree with this. I think it's one heck of an undertaking, especially without training.Good photos mind.
Very well done for finishing it though, that's quite an epic tale - I wish I could buy you a pint
Further update:-
After catching up on my sleep, I'm not feeling too bad, but having trouble walking due to the severe blistering, but I should be OK in a day or so.
I have to say maximum respect to these Tour de France riders who race hundred and odd miles a day, for days on end, they must really be superhuman, even allowing for all the intense training they do....
After catching up on my sleep, I'm not feeling too bad, but having trouble walking due to the severe blistering, but I should be OK in a day or so.
I have to say maximum respect to these Tour de France riders who race hundred and odd miles a day, for days on end, they must really be superhuman, even allowing for all the intense training they do....
That is one hell of a long walk.
Can't say I'd have enjoyed that at all. Cycling it maybe, not pushing the damn thing along.
If it had not been glorious sunshine I strongly suspect you would have been hustled into the back of the wifes car (or ambulance) and not made it home under your own steam.
Actually being honest, what you've done is really just a bit daft, you exposed yourself to real risk of injury and stressed out your family with worry. It's a bit like someone entering a marathon with no training and then just dragging themselves round in 8 hrs, it's not a feat of athletic endurance, you just went for a massive walk.
Sorry, I know we should be kind to you because you're a bit older but there you go.
Can't say I'd have enjoyed that at all. Cycling it maybe, not pushing the damn thing along.
If it had not been glorious sunshine I strongly suspect you would have been hustled into the back of the wifes car (or ambulance) and not made it home under your own steam.
Actually being honest, what you've done is really just a bit daft, you exposed yourself to real risk of injury and stressed out your family with worry. It's a bit like someone entering a marathon with no training and then just dragging themselves round in 8 hrs, it's not a feat of athletic endurance, you just went for a massive walk.
Sorry, I know we should be kind to you because you're a bit older but there you go.
dave_s13 said:
That is one hell of a long walk.
Can't say I'd have enjoyed that at all. Cycling it maybe, not pushing the damn thing along.
Actually being honest, what you've done is really just a bit daft, you exposed yourself to real risk of injury and stressed out your family with worry. It's a bit like someone entering a marathon with no training and then just dragging themselves round in 8 hrs, it's not a feat of athletic endurance, you just went for a massive walk.
All fair comment, appreciated, I certainly won't be doing it again, that's for sure..Can't say I'd have enjoyed that at all. Cycling it maybe, not pushing the damn thing along.
Actually being honest, what you've done is really just a bit daft, you exposed yourself to real risk of injury and stressed out your family with worry. It's a bit like someone entering a marathon with no training and then just dragging themselves round in 8 hrs, it's not a feat of athletic endurance, you just went for a massive walk.
..it was just something I had to do.And yes, I didn't enjoy it one bit, (other than the glorious countryside) but I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever..
Well done WR - just the kind of pig ignorant refusal to look facts in the face that got us to where we are today
I note you ignored all advice, on padded shorts, or cream, or blisters and just ploughed on.
I wonder what your car driving personality would have said if you drove past a slightly unsteady pedestrian pushing a bike at 3 in the morning in the pitch black.
Oh well, you got away with it, and have a good story and a painful memory !
I note you ignored all advice, on padded shorts, or cream, or blisters and just ploughed on.
I wonder what your car driving personality would have said if you drove past a slightly unsteady pedestrian pushing a bike at 3 in the morning in the pitch black.
Oh well, you got away with it, and have a good story and a painful memory !
Hi All
I just logged on here for the first time in years, after reading WR's thread I had too.
Him & me grew up about 1 or 2 miles apart, we are the same age, had some of the same mates, supported the same footie team (MCFC) loved the same music, both of us loved cycling, motorbikes and yes, cars. We even have 2 sons with the same names.
Incredibly we never met each other till we were in our early 50's ! I moved to Oz 26 years ago and got to know WR on a music forum would you believe, it was only after asking each other various questions that we realized all the above.
Strange world, anyway on my various visits back to the UK we have always met up and I can say that the aforementioned challenge he set himself doesnt surprise me one bit, he is of course a complete lunatic (like myself) but a very wonderful lunatic, I know exactly the ride he has just done (I have cycled over the Snake Pass myself) and I can only hold my hands up to him, a great achievement mate.
I wish Id known him in my youth, its a shame, definitely on my part, I think we'd have been very good mates.
I just logged on here for the first time in years, after reading WR's thread I had too.
Him & me grew up about 1 or 2 miles apart, we are the same age, had some of the same mates, supported the same footie team (MCFC) loved the same music, both of us loved cycling, motorbikes and yes, cars. We even have 2 sons with the same names.
Incredibly we never met each other till we were in our early 50's ! I moved to Oz 26 years ago and got to know WR on a music forum would you believe, it was only after asking each other various questions that we realized all the above.
Strange world, anyway on my various visits back to the UK we have always met up and I can say that the aforementioned challenge he set himself doesnt surprise me one bit, he is of course a complete lunatic (like myself) but a very wonderful lunatic, I know exactly the ride he has just done (I have cycled over the Snake Pass myself) and I can only hold my hands up to him, a great achievement mate.
I wish Id known him in my youth, its a shame, definitely on my part, I think we'd have been very good mates.
Well done. Seriously - biggest congratulations for the never say die mindset
To the naysayers: what a lot of tosh. Challenges are all in the mind - if a 120 mile ride is dangerous and risky heaven help you in the face of any real adversity. That's the kind of 'ooh, it might be hard/difficult' mindset that sits on the sofa watching reality-s
te, whining about can't, and going nowhere. Good luck to you.
Equally if you're fit and trained, 120 miles is a complete non-event - the whole point in a challenge is it needs to be a bit silly.
To the naysayers: what a lot of tosh. Challenges are all in the mind - if a 120 mile ride is dangerous and risky heaven help you in the face of any real adversity. That's the kind of 'ooh, it might be hard/difficult' mindset that sits on the sofa watching reality-s
te, whining about can't, and going nowhere. Good luck to you.Equally if you're fit and trained, 120 miles is a complete non-event - the whole point in a challenge is it needs to be a bit silly.
upsidedownmark said:
Well done. Seriously - biggest congratulations for the never say die mindset
To the naysayers: what a lot of tosh. Challenges are all in the mind - if a 120 mile ride is dangerous and risky heaven help you in the face of any real adversity. That's the kind of 'ooh, it might be hard/difficult' mindset that sits on the sofa watching reality-ste, whining about can't, and going nowhere. Good luck to you.
Equally if you're fit and trained, 120 miles is a complete non-event - the whole point in a challenge is it needs to be a bit silly.
Silly, but not dangerous. We could just as easily be sat here paying tributes to the OP had he been struck by a car whilst riding at night on unlit roads without lights, fallen off through hypothermia, dehydration etc...To the naysayers: what a lot of tosh. Challenges are all in the mind - if a 120 mile ride is dangerous and risky heaven help you in the face of any real adversity. That's the kind of 'ooh, it might be hard/difficult' mindset that sits on the sofa watching reality-s
te, whining about can't, and going nowhere. Good luck to you.Equally if you're fit and trained, 120 miles is a complete non-event - the whole point in a challenge is it needs to be a bit silly.
"never say die" can very quickly become "die" just to prove a point...
Regarding the lights.....
Yes, I totally agree, but remember I fully expected to be home by 6.......(8 at the latest), it is light till around 10 so I never really gave it much thought, foolish on my part, in retrospect it was definitely a silly thing to do. Looking back I should have bought some in Sheffield, but other than the very last stretch most of the walk in the dark was fortunately on the safety of the pavements in well lit built up areas.
Yes, I totally agree, but remember I fully expected to be home by 6.......(8 at the latest), it is light till around 10 so I never really gave it much thought, foolish on my part, in retrospect it was definitely a silly thing to do. Looking back I should have bought some in Sheffield, but other than the very last stretch most of the walk in the dark was fortunately on the safety of the pavements in well lit built up areas.
Well done on completing it!
The saddest part of the tale is you saying that you never want to get on a bike again.. The first time that I rode over 100 miles, I wasn't that well trained...but loved every minute of it. Ok, maybe not every one, but most of them. I didn't eat enough, bonked, but managed to stay on the bike and ride through the night..
It's happening again, on the night of the 20th July. It's called the Dunwich Dynamo, and I recommend anyone with a love of cycling, to fo it. Only a quid to enter!
The saddest part of the tale is you saying that you never want to get on a bike again.. The first time that I rode over 100 miles, I wasn't that well trained...but loved every minute of it. Ok, maybe not every one, but most of them. I didn't eat enough, bonked, but managed to stay on the bike and ride through the night..
It's happening again, on the night of the 20th July. It's called the Dunwich Dynamo, and I recommend anyone with a love of cycling, to fo it. Only a quid to enter!
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